Make plans to attend the
2015 Alabama Forage Conference!

Mark your calendars for the The Forage Focus Webinar Series,
held the second Wednesday of each month at 10:00 am CDT. Join us for timely
updates on forage-related topics from members of the Animal Science and Forage
Extension Team.

Archives

“Forages for Wildlife: Understanding the Role of Food Plots in Wildlife Management”

Aired Live: Oct. 14, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. CDT

“What should I plant for…?” is the most common question when it comes to food plots for wildlife. Whereas food plots can be used to provide supplemental nutrition for wildlife, in many cases expectations exceed reality. Understanding the role of food plots in the bigger picture of wildlife management will help keep you on track in meeting your wildlife management objectives. Tune in as Dr Mark Smith, Extension Wildlife Specialist, Alabama Cooperative Extension System at Auburn University, discusses the good, the bad, and the misinterpreted of food plots in wildlife habitat management for deer, turkeys, and other game species.

Extending the grazing season into the winter months can result in significant input cost savings for cattlemen. Understanding grazing management tips, tricks, and what to expect when using winter forages is key to making this work in your operation. This webinar, delived by Drs Jennifer Johnson, Extension Forage Specialist, and Kim Mullenix, Extension Beef Cattle Systems Specialist, Auburn University and Alabama Cooperative Extension System, discusses this important topic and address commonly asked questions related to determining appropriate stocking rates when using cool-season forages.

“Forage Pests: Insecticides Labeled for Pasture Use”

Aired Live: July 8, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. CDT

Do you have questions when it comes to what insecticides you can use in your pasture? Tune in to this webinar focused on forage pests for an update on these pesky pests attacking pastures and hayfields across the Southeast. This webinar, delivered by Dr. Kathy Flanders, Auburn University and Alabama Cooperative Extension System Forage Entomologist, discusses the various insecticides forage producers can use in grass pastures and hayfields. These vary in effectiveness, grazing restrictions, toxicity to the applicator, and mode of action.

“Forage and Water Quality: Runoff vs Infiltration –
the difference in water used and water lost”

Aired Live: June 10, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. CDT

Making every drop count - Alabama is blessed with an average of 55 inches of rain each year. However, there are many times when the rain comes before or after it is needed. Managing plants, soil and water as a system can result in more productive farms, improved health of streams and rivers, and improved economics. Did you know that every 1% increase in soil organic matter can translate into 25,000 gallons of available soil water per acre? Dr. Eve Brantley, Extension Water Resources Specialist, Auburn University and Alabama Cooperative Extension System, discusses practices and actions to improve soils, increase water availability, conserve water and stretch those water molecules as far as they will go.

“Forage Fertility: Saving on Fertilizer Costs”

Aired Live: April 8, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. CDT

Fertilizers are the highest, single input cost in a hay production system and can be the highest input cost for pastures. However, we know that we cannot grow forges without nutrients so what can we do? This webinar discusses some practical strategies that can reduce and maybe even eliminate those recurring fertilizer costs for your forage system.This webinar is presented by Dr. Charles Mitchell, Auburn University and Alabama Cooperative Extension System Soil Specialist.

Do you spend a lot of time fighting with fire ants in you pastures and hayfields? Tune in to this webinar focused on forage pests for an update on these pesky pests attacking pastures and hayfields acrossthe Southeast. This webinar, delivered by Dr. Kathy Flanders,Auburn University and Alabama Cooperative Extension System Forage Entomologist, providesinformation on: Fire ant baits, an economical way to control fire ants, which fire ant baits are currently legal to use in pastures and hayfields, and strategies that can be used to save time and money.

“Forage Fertility: Soil Basics for Southern Forages”

Aired Live: February 11, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. CDT

We are constantly seeking that amazing new forage crop that is highly nutritious for livestock, will grow with abandon, choke out all weeds, and grow year round. We’ll pay hundreds of dollars per acre to have it planted on our land. We are then disappointed when cattle overgraze it, the stand disappears, broomsedge appears everywhere, and we still don’t have enough good forage for our stocking rate. Modern forage crops are NOT naturally adapted to the soils of the Southeastern U.S. Pine trees are. We have to drastically amend our native soils in order to be successful growing hybrid bermudagrass, clovers, improved fescue and orchardgrass, and winter annuals for grazing. We’ll discuss some of the basics of soil management and soil fertility for forage production in Alabama and re-emphasize the importance of soil testing. Dr. Charles Mitchell, Auburn University and Alabama Cooperative Extension System Soil Specialist.